My Heart, Rest in Pieces
by KaT aka Mistress Shinigami
Summary: [AU MirSan, InuKag] Sango always had a certain fascination with the paranormal. When her friend, Kagome, makes her an offer she can't refuse, the two encounter a mystery of ghosts and curses. But romance was never planned...
1. Fly By Night

Author's Notes: Well, this is going to be my first multi-chapter Inuyasha story. It's an AU, and includes Kagome x Inuyasha and Miroku x Sango as the main pairings. It's going to be a ghost story, and will include healthy amounts of the supernatural. The ending is still undecided…though I do have a couple options in mind. Anyway, on with the story!

I'm going to get further into my Gundam Wing fics before I get totally lost in this story. I just wanted to see the response to this first part, which is primarily an introduction.

Disclaimer: I do not have the luck (or skill) of owning a popular manga/anime such as Inuyasha.

_Start a new chapter  
Find what I'm after  
It's changing every day  
The change of a season  
Is enough of a reason  
To want to get away  
Quiet and pensive  
My thoughts apprehensive  
The hours drift away  
Leaving my homeland  
Playing a lone hand  
My life begins today_

_Rush "Fly By Night"_

For as long as she could remember, Sango had been an avid believer of the supernatural. There was a certain fascination of the paranormal, accompanied by an undeniable fear of the unexplainable, that she neither rejected nor ignored. There was a definite thrill that she felt, an unquenchable need to seek out and study such occurrences. She didn't question the appeal of such acts, for to do so would be futile, in her eyes.

People close to her might connect her interest of ghosts with her odd obsession of death. It was not something she enjoyed, but something she had experienced so many times, in so many hurtful ways. It was all around her; it always had been, and she was always powerless to stop it. Sango was not one who appreciated feeling incapable, or vulnerable. The death that connected her to the supernatural was unavoidable, and unpredictable.

The deaths didn't start until she was eight years old. Her mother had been a prime influence on Sango as a child. Her mother was beautiful, supportive, and loving—everything a mom should be. That is why her death was so untimely, so hurtful, and so unpredictable. She passed away while giving birth to a child, a baby boy named Kohaku. The birth complications were totally erratic, according to the doctors. Being a child, Sango had been confused. _Why wasn't mommy coming home?_ She found herself blaming her baby brother, and becoming resentful towards him.

But her attitude rapidly changed, and soon Sango grew extremely fond of the young child. Watching him grow to become an innocent, kind-hearted boy melted Sango's heart, and all earlier anger and frustration seemed petty and childish—something she easily grew out of, like an old sweater. Kohaku's slight naïveté also drew an almost motherly affection from Sango, who wanted her brother to grow up with at least an idea of what maternal love was. It almost became a mission to her, trying to make her brother feel loved and wanted.

Her father, for his part, never once blamed his son for his wife's unfortunate passing. If anything, this only strengthened his attachment to the boy. His son was his wife's last gift to him…her last connection to this world. He didn't take this point lightly, but never was one for showing his affection. He taught his kids the lessons of life without sugarcoating anything, making them experience things for themselves. But Sango's father loved his kids more than anything in this world, and he did his best to take care of them without his wife.

That was the family Sango grew up with for the majority of her life. She lived with two guys, but they were the most important things to her. She lived for her family, which was odd behavior for a teenage girl. But she felt happy and secure, and she thought that nothing could ever take that away from her…

But, of course, the only thing that one can guarantee is change, and—no matter how happy she was in it—Sango's life took a change for the worse. Death struck again, when Kohaku and her father were killed in a car accident. Authorities informed her that their deaths were instantaneous, but that did nothing to soften the blow. What made matters worse was the investigation that went into the collision. They soon discovered that the driver of the other vehicle was heavily intoxicated. People close to Sango's family pushed on the young woman to press charges, but she just wanted the whole thing to end. The whole matter was halted, however, when the drunk driver—who survived the crash—was found dead on his bathroom floor, a whole bottle of aspirin in his system.

Sango had barely turned nineteen when this happened, and was just settling into life on her own. The death of her remaining family was like a huge hurdle that had been thrown into her path. Try as she might, she just couldn't find the strength to jump it, and was forced to stoop down and crawl across. She was able to scrape up enough money to finish her college education, and was then thrown into the world with only her degree in journalism to help her find her way.

She was now twenty-two, and three wearisome years had passed since the death of Kohaku and her father. She had never grown up so much so fast in all her life. Sango found herself constantly floating from one job to the next, unable to secure a position using her acquired degree. Sometimes she felt like the world was falling on her shoulders, and other times she felt like giving up—crawling into a corner and curling up to die. It was one of these days, at an all-time low, that Sango found herself in. She sat curled up on the moth-eaten couch in her apartment, cradling a mug of coffee in one hand, and the classified ads in the other hand. Though she was skimming through possible jobs, Sango couldn't help but remember how things used to be, and she felt her throat close up with the overwhelming emotions that assaulted her.

_Ring_

The sharp ringing of the telephone jerked Sango from her rueful reminiscing. She reached beside her on a small end table, where a phone was set up, and took the phone off the cradle.

"Hello?" she greeted mechanically, taking a small sip of her coffee as she waited for a reply.

"Hi, Sango! This is Kagome," a cheerful, feminine voice greeted her in reply.

Kagome was Sango's best friend, and had been since grade school. The two girls were practically inseparable; Kagome had been there when Sango's mother died, and she had also been there immediately after the accident, to help comfort her distraught friend. There was no one Sango trusted more in this world.

"Hey, Kagome," she returned, coming out of her melancholy mood and smiling lightly. She cradled the phone against her ear with her shoulder, and set her coffee on the end table, using both hands to hold the newspaper. "How have things been?"

Kagome said, "Things have been pretty good…great, actually." Her tone became excited. "Guess what?"

Sango couldn't help but roll her eyes at this. "I don't know…what?"

"I'm going to live with my Aunt Kaede over the summer!" Kagome cried happily.

"Really?" Sango queried, dropping the paper and holding the phone in her hand once more. She used her other hand to pick up her mug and take a sip. She made a face; the coffee was getting cold!

"Yeah. She lives in Shikon," Kagome informed her.

"Shikon? I've never heard of it," Sango admitted, standing up and walking towards the modest kitchenette in her apartment.

"It's just north of Kyoto."

Sango nodded, though she knew her friend couldn't see the motion. "Yeah, I know where Kyoto is." Kagome's natural bubbly, cheerful demeanor was unintentionally contagious, and the hopelessness that Sango felt while searching for a job had completely vanished.

"My aunt told me that there's a haunted house in Shikon!" Kagome said animatedly.

Sango cocked an eyebrow in interest. "Really?"

Kagome knew of her friend's enthrallment with the paranormal, and shared the interest, to some extent. Kagome didn't have quite a familiarity with death, but she was definitely fascinated by and intrigued by the unexplainable.

"Yeah! No one lives there, because they say it's haunted by a ghost," was Kagome's enthusiastic reply. "There's room at Aunt Kaede's house…and she said I could bring a guest…" She trailed off suggestively.

Sango grinned, leaning against a small counter. "Can I come?"

"Of course! That's why I called you!" Kagome said happily. "It's going to be so cool! My aunt says she knows the guy who owns the place, and we can get permission to check it out!"

"That'll be cool," Sango agreed fervently. In her mind she imagined what the house would be like. Would it be tall and creepy, like most cliché, stereotypical haunted places? Or would it be cozy looking, making it a discreet, hidden haunt. Either one seemed appealing to Sango.

"Yeah!" Kagome exclaimed, glad to be the bearer of good news. "Oh, and guess what?"

Not this game again. "What?"

"My aunt is the editor of a local newspaper!" the Japanese girl stated.

"In Shikon?" Sango asked, curiosity seeping into her voice.

"Yeah. She said she's looking for a writer, if you're interested."

Sango laughed out loud, a huge grin spreading across her face. "Of course I'm interested! That would be so great! When are you leaving? I need time to get a train ticket, and—"

"No need," Kagome interjected. "You can ride down with me…I was kind of going under the assumption that you wouldn't refuse." Sango felt happiness burgeon within her, and she could only smile.

"This is going to be so great. Thank you so much, Kagome," Sango said sincerely, clutching the phone to her ear tightly.

"You know it's no problem! But make sure you're ready by tomorrow."

Sango's russet eyes widened in astonishment. She cried, "Tomorrow? Kagome, are you crazy?"

She heard her friend laugh over the phone. "I already told you I was going under the assumption you wouldn't refuse. I'll pick you up at eight. Ciao."

"'Bye," Sango said weakly, walking back over to the living area and plopping onto the couch gracelessly. She placed the phone in its cradle, gazing listlessly at her useless mug of cold coffee. She couldn't quite grasp all that had transpired these past few moments.

'I'm going to a haunted house…in Shikon…and I have a job,' Sango reminded herself, continuing to think those words in an almost chant-like fashion. She smiled happily, pulling a pillow off the couch and hugging it to her chest. 'I'm going to a haunted house…in Shikon…and I have a job.'

Now, Kagome knew of Sango's furtive obsession with the paranormal, but she didn't know all of the reasons why. In fact, some of those reasons are unknown even to Sango, though she refuses to admit it to herself. Somewhere, deep down inside of her, is this insatiable hope that she feeds on. It's an undeniable fact that she just refuses to acknowledge, hoping that maybe, if ignored, this puerile fantasy would disappear entirely. For somewhere, deep inside her wildest desires, resided a hope that she might one day be reunited with her family. That maybe—just maybe—the spirits of her deceased relatives were still a part of this earth. Then maybe her mother could comfort her like she once did, and her brother would smile upon her again, and her father would teach her how to move on. Maybe, if her family came back, she would have time to say her good byes…and there would be healing, instead of hurt.

But the pessimistic part of Sango knew this was only a dream, and felt that it was psuedo-hope she was heavily relying on, and it would eventually lead to greater heartache. Somehow, this cynical doubt didn't deter her fortitude, but rather it ignited it. There was a certain desperation to prove—either affirmatively or negatively—the existence of her family members as specters. Infantile as it may seem, Sango found these hopes plaguing her, and day by day her doubts and her determination grew stronger in parallel.


	2. New World Man

Author's note: Quicker than expected, that's for sure. Can you guess who the song lyrics are about? C'mon, take a wild guess.

Disclaimer: ****yawn You know the drill. I don't own 'em.

_He's noble enough to know what's right  
__But weak enough not to choose it  
__He's wise enough to win the world  
__But fool enough to lose it._

_Rush "New World Man"_

Sometimes, late at night, Sango would close her eyes tight, and, in the darkness behind her eyelids, she would try to remember her mother's face. At first her features would appear clear, crisp, and exact. There was no mistaking that face for anyone else, for Sango knew it could be no one but her mother. But, later on, it was like an opaque fog was obscuring her memories, and her mother's countenance was blurry. Like an inked portrait that was soaked in water. The lines of her cheekbones, her nose, all ran together, and Sango couldn't ascertain whether it was truly her mother, or just a faceless woman.

Desperate for affirmation, Sango would sift and dig through old boxes and albums, finding any and all pictures of her mother to put to memory lovingly. Her perusals were almost an almost desperate act. She was afraid of forgetting her family. The thought terrified her to no end, and she soon devoted her time to compiling albums out of family photos. She created numerous scrapbooks, finding any and all pictures of her family and assembled album after album of memorabilia.

Sango would often attempt to deceive herself into thinking that the memories would help her get over the death of her family. Deep down, she didn't really believe this, and she was too smart to try and fool herself into thinking so. She realized that reopening wounds was never a wise idea, but she was too adamant in her pursuit to care. Her family had been everything to her, and she would continue to reopen her old hurts, as opposed to risk forgetting everything about her loved ones. She wanted to keep them with her…not forget them and move on. It just wouldn't do their memories justice.

Sometimes, feelings of guilt would accompany her sorrow. Sango was so very close to Kagome, and her friend's family treated her as one of their own, making her feel welcomed and loved. She would sometimes slip up, not even realizing that Souta wasn't _her_ brother, and that Mrs. Higurashi wasn't her real mother. She would then feel shameful of herself, for even thinking that her real family could ever be replaced. In this sense, Sango was a very morose girl, but that wasn't all there was to her. She was a regular, cheerful woman, who had seen one too many horrors in her lifetime. But it was nothing that couldn't be dealt with. People had been through much worse and survived, and Sango would, too.

When things got too bad, sometimes she would try and remember the happier times with her family. Like the times when her and Kohaku would walk out to the raspberry bushes in the small woods behind their family's house. The two children would bring pails with them, filling them full to the brim with sweet, ripe berries. More often then not, more berries would end up in their stomachs than in the buckets. Their activities were marked by sticky fingers and juice-stained lips. And sometimes, when they were really lucky, they would discover a wild strawberry bush. _Very_ few of those ever returned home with them.

Since mother had passed away, Sango and Kohaku made it their personal mission to cook decent meals for their father. Neither was overly skilled in the kitchen, but their father appreciated their sentiments all the same. He always seemed concerned over what kind of kids he was raising. He always wanted his children to grow up strong, able to handle anything thrown their way. He wanted them to be able to care for themselves, but also be empathetic to those around them. Sango always thought it seemed like he was struggling in his role as a father…as if he had never expected to handle the job alone. Raising children was always a joint effort, but his wife passed away before she could even get to know one of her children. Sango always found that extremely sad and bitter; her father never blamed mother for leaving him. He had always tried to stand strong, like he taught his children to do.

Sango never expected her father and Kohaku to leave her as suddenly as they did. They couldn't be blamed for their deaths, and she had to do her best to go on without them. This revelation made Sango feel even closer to her father, almost as if they shared a bond of understanding, each dealing with an abrupt loss.

But her father wasn't here now, and she suddenly wished she hadn't been so hard on him. When she grew angry at what she called his insensitivity, she really didn't mean it. She knew he was silently grieving, and doing his best to teach his children the same. And now that she knew how he had felt, on his own in fatherhood, she was able to connect, in a sense, since she was on her own with her life.

But now was not the time to call upon sorrowful memories. Today was a day to be happy about, for today was the day Sango started her new life. Today was the day that her and Kagome would be going to Shikon, where a new job—and a haunted house—awaited. The thought sent a jolting thrill up and down Sango's spine, leaving her nerves tingling. It hadn't taken her long to pack all her necessary belongings, and now the bags were resting by the door to her apartment. Sango sat on her moth-eaten couch, occasionally shooting glances towards the small speaker set up by the door. It was approximately 7:50 a.m., and Kagome had mentioned she would pick her up at eight. She never was one for being late, so Sango suspected she had better be ready before eight o'clock, to be safe.

All though Sango was expecting it, when the buzz from the speaker emerged, she couldn't help but jump. She hastily made her way towards it, holding down the button and speaking.

"Kagome?"

"Yeah. It's me, Sango," her friend's voice replied, slightly raspy over the static of the speaker. "Can you buzz me up? I'll help you with your stuff."

Sango figured she could carry her stuff on her own, but she buzzed Kagome up anyway. She waited by the door, anticipating the knock that was soon in coming. Sango opened the door for her friend, to find her grinning broadly.

"This is so exciting, isn't it, Sango?" Kagome asked happily, almost squealing in pleasure. She rushed into Sango's apartment, grabbing one of the bags and leaving the other for her friend.

Sango agreed happily, "Yeah! I just can't believe it!" The two began walking out of the now-darkened room, closing the door behind them…closing the door on their old lives, and starting anew.

"It's too much to grasp," Kagome mused, losing her jovial exterior and adopting a more somber mood, but happy, nonetheless.

"I know what you mean," Sango replied contemplatively, walking beside Kagome towards a dark blue car. Kagome shifted the bag slightly, using her newly freed hand to fish in the pocket of her jeans for her car key. They threw the bags in the backseat haphazardly, Kagome taking the driver's seat while Sango plopped into the passenger side.

"We're going to be spending the whole summer together!" Kagome squealed delightedly, starting the ignition with the twist of her wrist. "It will be like all those times we used to go to summer camp together!"

Sango nodded, smiling as she remembered all the good times her best friend had shared with her. The two girls had been an infamous duo at summer camp: Higurashi Kagome and Taijiya Sango. They were inseparable over the summer, swimming in the lake, horseback riding in the woods, rock-climbing, and then repelling. The two would grow impossibly closer during those long summer days, and together it seemed there was nothing the counselors could throw at them that they couldn't accomplish.

"Remember that one time when there was a snake in our cabin?" Kagome asked reminiscently, shooting Sango a glance out of the corner of her eye as she backed out of her parking spot, sliding her car onto the road.

"Mmm hmm," Sango said with a nod, a small smile forming on her face. "And all the other girls started screaming…"

"Yeah. So you took a stick and picked it up…"

Sango laughed. "And I started chasing you with the stick."

Kagome joined in her laughter. "It was funny for you, until I grabbed a stick and hit the snake off your stick."

"Yeah, knocking it right on _me_," Sango huffed with mock indignation. Kagome laughed at Sango's hurtful expression, holding onto the steering wheel with one arm and leaning her other elbow against the window. Sango joined in her laughter, her deep brown eyes crinkling up as her face broke out in a happy smile.

The ride continued in this cheerful manner, the road stretched before them, looking so full of promise. Somewhere, deep inside them, was a low, throbbing sensation, like an ache, a tug at their hearts. The girls knew that this summer journey they were about to undertake was going to be different from anything they had ever experienced. But whether this was good or bad was still undecided.

A short while into their drive, Kagome pulled off the road, coming to a stop in front of a small café. The small restaurant was dimly lit, and small murmurs of conversation greeted the girls as they stepped inside the warm atmosphere. An iced tea, a coke, and two sandwiches later, and the girls were once more on the road. The ride continued, and Sango's limbs were just starting to feel stiff when she felt the car slow. She glanced up, her eyes coming to rest on a small, weathered sign. Faint characters were seen on its wooden surface, painted in faded black ink.

"Welcome to Shikon," Kagome read from the sign, turning her head and smiling slyly at Sango. "We're here!" The other girl grinned as well, leaning forward in her seat and worrying the material of her jeans with her hands.

Kagome pulled onto the road the sign led to, searching the houses over, obviously looking to find her aunt's house. So intent she was on the houses, that she didn't notice a car pull out in front of her until it was too late.

"Kagome, look out!" Sango cried, fisting her hands.

Kagome let out a startled cry, slamming her foot down on the break pedal. The squealing of tires was heard, followed by the sickening crunch of metal against metal. The initial jarring impact caused the women to be flung forward against their seatbelts, only to be snapped back once more. Their primary shock wore off, leaving Sango staring wide-eyed at the car in front of them, while Kagome gripped her steering wheel tightly, her knuckles colored a pasty white at her tight grip. Loud cursing was heard from outside, and the two finally opened their doors, climbing out of the car.

A man with long, black hair was standing behind his car, cursing loudly. A large dent popped out sorely from the back of his sporty red car. He turned his flashing violet eyes towards Kagome angrily. "What the hell'd you do that for, you fucking wench?!" Kagome and Sango were, to say the least, shocked at the man's outrageously rude behavior.

"You're the one that pulled out in front of me!" Kagome cried in annoyance, before adding, "And don't you dare talk to me like that!" Sango looked back and forth between the man and Kagome.

"Maybe you should learn to pay attention!"

"Yeah?! Well, maybe _you_ should learn to use the rearview mirror!"

"Stupid bitch! You were supposed to wait for me to pull out!"

"I thought I told you not to talk to me like that!"

A calmer, older voice somehow managed to be heard over the fray. "Looks like you two had a little fender bender."

Kagome glanced up from her argument, her anger melting and a smile alighting her face. "Aunt Kaede!"

"Feh," the black-haired man scoffed, turning up his nose haughtily. "_This _was the niece you spoke so highly of?" His question was clearly directed towards the older woman.

"Yes," Kaede said evenly, not the least bit perturbed. "Inuyasha, this is Kagome. Kagome, this is my neighbor, Inuyasha."

"And I'm Sango," Sango added lamely, coming towards the group, carrying her two bags with a small amount of difficulty.

"He's your neighbor?" Kagome queried shrilly, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at Inuyasha.

"It's a good thing I live so close, 'cause you're gonna be paying for my car," Inuyasha informed her roughly, folding his arms across his own chest in retaliation.

"No way! _You're_ paying for the damage," Kagome demanded angrily. Sango and Kaede shared a glance. The younger woman raised an eyebrow, half amused and half incredulous.

"Like hell I am!"

"That's enough," Kaede told the disputing pair firmly, placing her hands on her wide hips. "You'll each pay for your own damage, it's only fair." Inuyasha scowled, but Kagome sighed in resignation. "Come on girls; it's time you two started unpacking." The two followed the older woman towards her house: a modest, yet comfortable-looking one-story. She led the two down a hall, where two bedrooms were side-by-side. Kagome took a soft yellow room, while Sango took the light blue one. The two met Kaede in the kitchen when they had finished unpacking. Kaede was warming up a pot of tea, and shooed them over to the table to sit down while she finished her tea.

The trio was then seated around the small, round table. Sango finally broke the silence, unable to contain her excitement. She asked, "So, Ms. Kaede, Kagome said you know the guy who owns the haunted house…" She trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging. The woman smiled at her eager attitude.

"Yes, I do," she told them, taking a sip of tea to prolong the suspense. "You remember Inuyasha, of course?"

"It's not him, is it?" Kagome asked, her voice rising an octave above what was normal for her, and she visibly blanched, muttering something about an 'arrogant, big-headed jerk.'

"No, no, Inuyasha does not own the house," Kaede said, smiling at Kagome's outburst. "It's owned by his older half-brother, Sesshoumaru." Kagome still appeared upset.

"Well, how did Sesshoumaru come to own this haunted house?" Sango questioned, her countenance curious. "I mean, the guy doesn't even use it, right? So why buy it?"

Kaede steepled her fingers, gazing at the two women from over her fingertips. "Ah, well, there is an interesting story behind that, really. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father owned the house, and he left it to his eldest son when he died."

The trio paused as this news set in. "Why leave it to Sesshoumaru? I mean, what did Inuyasha get?" Sango inquired, picking up her cup of tea and taking a delicate sip. After the temperature was deemed safe enough, she took a larger drink.

"Well, their dad died before he even knew that his second wife was pregnant," Kaede told them. "It's quite sad, really." Kagome, despite her embitterment towards the rude man, couldn't help but feel a rush of pity towards his situation. And Kagome knew Sango would start feeling empathetic towards Inuyasha; after all, her younger brother had never known his mother, and if there was one subject Sango was tender on, it was the topic of Kohaku.

"So, who exactly is this ghost that haunts the house?" Kagome asked, resting her elbows on the table and placing her chin in her hands, as she effectively steered the topic of discussion away from the angst direction.

Kaede glanced down into her tea, watching the brown liquid reflect her aged face back up at her. She glanced up at the girls sagely. "No one really knows, and that, in itself, may be more mysterious than the ghost just being there." The two girls sat in an awe-struck silence.

"No one knows…" Sango said to herself quietly. It was a mystery, and she was never one to turn down a challenge.

"But," Kaede continued, "there is one major clue that may or may not be used to decipher the ghost's identity." Kagome and Sango shot each other interested looks, leaning forward on their chairs simultaneously towards the elderly woman. "The house was originally a shrine, only a one-story hut. Someone added onto the house, restoring it, and making it a two-story. But that's not the strange part. In the backyard, there's a massive crater."

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Please, review again! =) Reviews make me happy.


	3. The Woman Before Me

A/N: Oh, I'm excited about this story. My first multi-chapter Inuyasha fic. I hope everyone likes it so far!! Oh, and in this story Kikyou and Kaede are not related.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. That honor belongs to Takahashi-sama.

_Sometimes in an argument, it will show  
__When you go a little farther than you meant to go  
__I know you don't mean the things that you say  
__I just wanna ease the pain that's in your way  
__But the woman before me must have been hard on you  
__'Cause that hurt in your eyes, I never put you through_

_Trisha Yearwood "The Woman Before Me"_

Kagome opened her eyes slowly, loving the warm, content feeling that cocooned her. The blankets on her bed were spooned around her form, trapping her body heat in their depths. She uncurled her body, reaching her arms above her head and stretching her legs out languidly. Sunlight streamed into the room from the single window, and through the glass pane the bright chirping of some birds could be discerned.

The young girl swung her pajama-clad legs over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the soft, plush carpet below. She heard the sound of voices, probably coming from the dining room.

'I guess Aunt Kaede and Sango are up all ready,' she mused to herself, running a hand through her mussed-up hair. 'Well, I guess I could go get some breakfast before I get dressed.' Kagome smiled.

"After all, this is supposed to be my vacation," she said aloud, running her hand through her raven hair once more. She made her way down the hallway and through the kitchen, coming to the small, round table in the dining room. She froze instantly, eyes going wide.

"Good morning, Kagome," Kaede greeted, a secret smile on her face.

Sango laughed softly, also smiling. "Good morning, Kag."

"Feh," the third person said gruffly, glaring at the girl in pajamas. "Do you _always_ wake up this late?"

Kagome put her hands on her hips angrily, fixing the man with a glare of her own. "What is _he_ doing here?" she asked angrily, not even acknowledging his presence, instead turning her question to her aunt.

"This ain't your house, wench!" Inuyasha stood up from his seat at the table.

"Yeah? Well, it's not yours either!" Kagome shouted, amazed at how rude this guy was.

"Kagome! Inuyasha! Both of you sit down!" Kaede commanded, her tone causing both of them to slide into their seats reluctantly. "Inuyasha, I don't know why you have to be so mean to her. And Kagome, why do you feel the need to retaliate?" Sango watched all of this, feeling amused, despite her friend's predicament.

"You know why, old woman!" Inuyasha said with incredulity. "That bitch ran into my car!"

Before Kagome could reply with a few choice words, Kaede spoke up. "I don't think so, Inuyasha. I think it goes deeper than that."

If Inuyasha was angry before, now he was furious. His violet eyes flashed with barely-suppressed rage, and he fixed that stare on Kaede. The older woman didn't even flinch, but Sango and Kagome, admittedly, felt shivers go up and down their spines.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Inuyasha demanded, his voice dangerously quiet. His tone proved that he knew exactly what she was speaking of, but just refused to admit it. Kaede answered coolly.

"You know exactly what I speak of, Inuyasha."

"Spit it out!" His voice was no longer a hissed whisper. He slammed his hands onto the table roughly, and Kagome jumped, involuntarily. Both her and Sango were watching the scene with wide eyes, totally transfixed.

Kaede gave him a calculating look, hearing his angry growl. She said, "You shouldn't immediately put her off, Inuyasha. She's not Kikyou, you know."

"Feh! Of course she's not!" he exclaimed, as if the idea were absurd. "The bitch doesn't even look like her."

"Hey!" Kagome protested. "I told you not to talk to me like that!"

"Shut the hell up, Kikyou!" The whole room froze with Inuyasha's command, and the young man's eyes widened, horror-struck. Kagome's sharp intake of breath broke the tense silence.

"Whoever this girl is, I'm not her!" Kagome protested loudly, slamming her hands on the table, mimicking Inuyasha. "My name is Kagome! Ka-go-me!" Inuyasha snapped out of his trance-like state, fixing the girl with a glare. He opened his mouth to strike back, but decided better of it. Instead, he rose, storming from the room. The door slammed as he left the house. Kagome's eyes were riveted to the spot where Inuyasha had once set. Sango interrupted the silence:

"Ms. Kaede…just who is this Kikyou person?"

Kagome huffed, looking away from his vacated chair and crossing her arms. "That's something I'd like to know."

Kaede sighed, resting her back against the chair. "It's a long story, really."

Sango raised an eyebrow. "We've got time."

"Yeah, we don't have anything else to do."

"Well," the elderly woman said slowly, "Kikyou…she was Inuyasha's fiancée. She shares an extremely close resemblance to Kagome." Sango gasped, eyes widening.

"His fiancée?" Kagome cried, her voice raising an octave too high.

"Yes. His fiancée."

Sango recovered first. "Well, what happened? I mean…he must hate Kikyou, because he's taking it out on Kagome."

"Well," Kaede started once again, "I really don't think he hates her. He may even still love her. But she did make him very angry."

"What did she do?" Kagome queried, her eyebrows drawing together. She was curious as to why Inuyasha felt the need to be so cruel to her.

"She left him," Kaede said simply, taking a sip of her tea before continuing. The girls stared at her, shocked once more. "The day before the wedding, she called to tell him it was over."

Sango frowned. "Why?" she asked, communicating Kagome's unspoken inquiry.

"She never gave a valid reason. It was rumored that she was having an affair with Naraku Onigumo." The girls shared an appalled look. "Those are just rumors, though, and there's no proof in them," Kaede added hastily.

"Who's this Onigumo character?" Sango asked. Kagome was silent beside her, gazing down at her hands. She felt so sorry for Inuyasha, despite the way he had been treating her. She reminded him of a love who had betrayed him; it was no wonder he was so wary of her.

'I'll try to be nicer,' Kagome decided to herself.

"People call him Naraku," Kaede said, not really answering the question.

"By his last name?" Sango inquired, resting her elbows against the wooden surface of the table. "How come?"

"Because his family name brings power," Kaede stated, her good eye crinkling up as she frowned. The two girls shot her confused looks, so she elaborated. "The Naraku family has been the most powerful family in Shikon. They are a line of strong warriors, and the eldest son has always had the title of Warlord, head of Shikon."

"They still use that title?" Kagome questioned. History was always her best subject. Sango had always much preferred literature, and things of fiction. Perhaps that helped fuel her supernatural fascination.

"Yes. It shows how much power the Naraku family has."

"But, why did Kikyou get mixed up with someone like that?" Kagome asked, her expression trouble. This didn't sound like a girl she'd like to meet.

"I'm not really sure." Kaede paused, as if contemplating what she said next. "But…there has been a…history…between Kikyou's ancestors and the latest Naraku's ancestors."

Sango tapped her fingers against the table lightly. "What kind of history, specifically?"

"Well, Kikyou's family name is Miko. The Miko's were all priestesses of Shikon."

"Kikyou's a priestess?" Kagome cried out in surprise.

Her aunt nodded. "Yes. It was rumored that Kikyou's ancestors would perform curses and spells for the Naraku family."

"Because of Naraku's power," Sango ventured, guessing correctly.

"Yes. But aside from the Narakus, the Mikos were the most powerful family." Kaede was silent for a moment. "Well, for a time, the Houshi family also held extreme power. They were a family of monks."

Kagome frowned, fiddling with the material of her pajama sleeve. "'For a time?'"

"Why did they lose the power?" Sango asked, curious. Her russet eyes were staring steadily at Kaede, alight with interest.

The elderly woman bowed her head for a moment, before looking up at the two girls, her expression one of mystery. "No one knows. The Houshis just…disappeared one day."

"No one knows…" Sango breathed, exactly as she had done yesterday.

"Aunt Kaede…" Kagome began, "where did this Houshi family use to live?"

"In the haunted house," Kaede said, watching as both girls adopted looks of poorly concealed surprise, "the old shrine."

"So…do you think that the ghost is one of the Houshis?" Sango asked, becoming excited once more, at the prospect of the enigmatic ghost.

"As I said, child, no one knows," Kaede told her, but then added. "Because every time someone tries to search the house for clues, the ghost chases them away."

'Why would the ghost chase everyone away?' Sango wondered silently. 'What is it trying to hide?'

"Well, it's not going to chase us away!" Kagome said assertively. At Kaede's stern look, she added, "Once we get permission from Mr. Sesshoumaru, of course."

_Ding-Dong_

"Speak of the devil!" Kagome's aunt exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "That must be Sesshoumaru right now." Kagome made a small cry, gazing down at her pajamas. She ran her hand through her tousled hair as Kaede made her way to the door.

"Hurry up and go get dressed, Kagome," Sango said, unable to conceal her laughter.

Her friend shot her a glare, but shot down the hallway, towards the room she was staying in. Right after the young woman slammed the door closed, then Kaede reemerged in the dining room, followed by a tall, regal looking man. Sango had to admit he was beautiful…almost creepily so. What really surprised her were the two kids that were trailing behind the man. One was a little girl, with big, bright eyes and long, dark hair tied up into a half-ponytail on the side of her head. The other child was a little boy, with long red hair pulled back into a ponytail. He had a blue ribbon tying his hair, and his vulpine face was grinning delightedly.

"Hi, Kaede!" the redheaded boy squealed, latching onto the woman's leg. The little girl giggled, following the boy's example and grabbing onto the woman's other leg.

"Rin, Shippou," Sesshoumaru said quietly. The two kids instantly let go, walking over to the man.

"We're going to have fun with Miss Kaede!" the boy, Shippou said elatedly. He smiled up at the stern man.

"Yeah! Rin's going to have lots of fun!" the little girl, Rin, stated. Sango noted that she talked about herself in third-person, and found this slightly odd. But the little girl's bright smile never seemed to fade.

"Rin, Shippou," Kaede said, interrupting their childish excitement. "This is Sango. She is going to be staying here as well."

"Hi," Shippou said shyly, hiding behind Sesshoumaru's leg. Sango found it strange how this stoic-looking man could have such a good relationship with these little children.

Rin walked towards Sango, looking up at her with a wide grin. "Rin thinks you're very pretty!" she said happily.

The complement, even coming from a child, was enough to make Sango blush slightly. "Why, thank you, Rin. You're very pretty, too." The little girls scuttled back over to Sesshoumaru.

"She thinks Rin's pretty!" Rin whispered to Sesshoumaru, though her voice was loud enough for the whole room to hear. Sango smiled kindly at the girl.

"I told Sesshoumaru that I would watch over Rin and Shippou, since he was going out of town," Kaede explained, lifting up Shippou, who was holding his arms up towards her. "Rin and Shippou are his adopted children."

Sango was quite stunned for a moment. Sesshoumaru—this cold-looking man—adopted what look liked a pair of six-year-olds.

'I guess I shouldn't be so quick to judge,' Sango thought with amusement, smiling slightly at her thoughts.

Kagome chose that moment to reappear, dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans and a blue tank top. She smiled at all the guests, walking over by Sango. Sesshoumaru gave her an odd look, his expression unreadable.

"This is Kagome," Kaede said pointedly, casting Sesshoumaru a look.

"Of course," he said coolly. "I really must get going. I have a plane to catch."

"'Bye, Sesshy!" Shippou cried, hopping out of Kaede's arms and bounding over to the man. He grasped his leg, squeezing tightly.

"Rin will miss you!" Rin said, grabbing onto his other leg. They seemed to have a knack for doing that.

"Wait, Sesshoumaru," Sango called, as the man began making his way to the door. He paused, but didn't turn to look at her. Shaking it off, she continued. "Kagome and I were wondering if we could have your permission to visit the haunted house sometime."

There was a pause, in which even Rin and Shippou were silent. And then, "It is of no consequence to me." He pulled a key out of his pocket, handing it to Sango after finally turning around. He fixed her with a cold stare, and she froze on the spot. "Not a lot to do with the place, anyway." Then he made his way out the door, leaving behind two children and two bags, which were obviously clothes for Rin and Shippou.

"The house didn't always belong to the Tetsusaiga family, you know," Kaede said suddenly. The comment seemed very out-of-the-blue. Sango turned around, still clutching the key absently.

"Tetsusaiga?" Kagome inquired, running a hand through her newly brushed hair.

"Yes. That's Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's family name," her aunt informed them.

"Who used to own the place?" Sango asked, looking down when she felt tugging on the hem of her shirt. Rin lifted her arms up towards Sango expectantly, smiling so that she couldn't refuse. She lifted the child into her arms, surprised at how light she was. Rin began playing with her hair, even though it was pulled up into a high ponytail.

"After the Houshis disappeared, the Narakus owned it," Kaede answered. The girls were silent for a while, letting the information process in their minds.

"So, how did Inuyasha's dad come to own it?" Kagome wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Kaede replied truthfully, shrugging. "Maybe he owed him a favor, or something. Or perhaps he just got sick of maintenance. Who knows?"

"Maybe we could ask Inuyasha?" Kagome stated, though it was more of a question. Sango looked uneasy for a moment.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Inuyasha's not to keen on you, Kag."

Kagome folded her arms beneath her chest, frowning. "Well, it's certainly not my fault. _I'm not her!_"

"I know you aren't," Sango said with a sigh, shifting Rin from one hip to the other.

"I feel kind of bad for him, Sango," Kagome said softly, looking at ground in front of her, as though it had suddenly become extremely interesting.

Sango cast her a curious glance, but said nothing.

"There is nothing you can do, Kagome," Sango told her quietly. "It's in his past, and he must learn to deal with it." Her friend looked over at her, catching the sad look in her eyes.

"Like you must let go of your past, Sango," she said gently.

Sango looked away, uncomfortably. She set Rin on the ground, who scurried off with Shippou to go play in the backyard. She turned towards Kagome once more, her expression becoming angry.

"I put my past behind me a long time ago."

Kagome, catching the hidden hurt in her friend's statement, decided to drop the subject. "Of course. I'm sorry, Sango."

"No…it's alright."

Kagome clapped her hands together. "Hey, I have an idea! How about we go check out that haunted house!" Sango smiled, and Kagome mentally cheered. She had said the right thing to help cheer her friend up. Memories of Sango's past were best left buried.

"That's a great idea! Let's go get our shoes on, and then we can drive out."

A/N: Thank you for all the nice reviews! I hope everyone liked this chapter as much as the other ones! By the way, it took me **forever** to find a song for this chapter. I found these lyrics, and thought they fit for Kagome and Inuyasha!

CelesteSpring- Yay! I'm so glad you liked it. Do you ever get the idea for a story, that you hope will blow all your other stories away? That's the way I feel with this one, so I've been extra-cautious with everything I write about it. Anyway, thanks a whole bunch for your kind reviews!

Zephor- You'll find out what's in the haunted house soon…but can ya guess? Thanks for your review!

LilGiggles- Hello person, to you, too! I'm trying to write fast. I hope you like it, and thanks for the review!

Ashuli Dreamtide- This probably gave more insight into who the ghost is. There wa sa lot of foreshadowing, and I bet you caught all of it! About the Rae thing, thanks for catching it. And I fixed it, too! It's a long story. See, I was planning on writing a ghost story slightly parallel to this one, only with my own made-up characters. But it got too confusing, so I just made it an Inuyasha one. Thanks for pointing that out though! And thanks for the reviews!!

Red Dragon- Thanks for the review! I tried to update soon. But easier said then done.

fle- I'm glad you liked it! Here's more…and thank you for the review!

Callisto Nicol- Yes, lots and lots of foreshadowing! I think, by now, it is pretty easy to figure out just who the ghost is. But I kept everyone hanging for a little while, hehe. Thanks a lot for your review!!

Dark-Angels- I love mysteries and horror stories, too. All though the latter gives me nightmares. Hehe, just kidding. Anyway, thanks for the review!!

Kalira of the Flames- Yay! Sango's three-dimensional! does a victory dance Thank you so much for the nice review! 

bfcat- Have you figured out who's in the house now? Thanks for your review! I hope you liked this chapter, too!

Hollie- Yay! I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for the review!!

mandi-chan- I'm glad you like it! It will start to pick up soon, once they get more involved with the mystery.

Starpiper- I'm so glad you like it! Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside, hehe. You probably know who the ghost is after reading this chapter.

HLUMe- I'm really happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review…you're not the only one who thought Kikyou was the ghost. But she plays a different role in this.

A lot of review replies, because I replied to the reviewers of both chapters. But, like I said in the last chapter, reviews make me happy. But I don't hold them for ransom like some authors.


	4. When I Fall

A/N: I think I'm going to work on this story from now on, rather than go back and forth between stories. Once I get further ahead on this, I will go back to my other stories. I think it's better if I finish one before I start on the others. So this has priority!

Disclaimer: They aren't mine. I just love borrowing them. The song isn't mine, either.

_I wish I could fly  
__From this building  
__From this wall  
__And if I should try  
__Would you catch me if I fall?  
  
__Barenaked Ladies "When I Fall"_

From Sango's position in the passenger seat, she could effortlessly rest her forehead against the cool pane of glass. Kagome had the radio turned to a rock station, and she hummed along with a song, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. Sango found herself wondering how her friend could follow the loud, angry beats of the music while remaining relatively on tune. It was all another mystery.

The humming stopped suddenly, and Sango turned her head, looking towards Kagome. The other girl was shooting glances at her from the corner of her eyes, while still maintaining a good view of the road stretched before them. It wouldn't do to get in another accident, after all. The front fender was already dented pretty badly, the paint chipped. Kagome had growled angrily when she spotted the damage.

"So, any predictions on the ghost, Sango?" Kagome wondered out loud.

'The ghost?' Sango mused silently, her expression glazing over in contemplation. This ghost—assuming there was a ghost—would he or she know how Sango could reach her family? The need for closure, the need to say goodbye, was so overwhelming, and so all-consuming. She was even willing to search out and inquire what was a potentially dangerous spirit.

'Maybe Kagome's right,' Sango thought. 'Maybe I _do_ need to let go of my past, no matter how much it hurts.' But she couldn't do it, not so easily. She _needed_ to find this ghost. It wasn't just a hobby anymore; it's what she was living for, to help her find her family. It was what she needed to do in order to let go. It was what she needed for closure.

"Hmm…I'm not sure," she said aloud, pushing away from the window. "Obviously this ghost wants to keep people away. Do you think it's trying to hide something?"

Kagome chewed on her lower lip. "Maybe. But it could also simply be trying to protect the place of its death, ya know? I mean, maybe it's very territorial."

"I hadn't thought of that," Sango admitted.

Another silence ensued, until Kagome came up with another question:

"How do you think he died?"

Sango frowned, noticing the change in pronouns. "'He', Kagome?"

"Well, it's just a guess," Kagome said. "Besides, I was tired of calling the ghost—who was once very much alive—by an asexual pronoun." Sango cocked an eyebrow and it disappeared under her bangs, but she didn't say anything.

"So…" she ventured once more, "how do you think he died?"

"I don't know," the young writer replied, lifting her shoulders in a shrug.

Kagome rolled her eyes skyward, letting out a mock sigh of exasperation. "Of course you don't _know_, Sango! I don't know either…but that's what we're here to find out, right?"

Sango smiled, the last of her dismal mood dissolving. "Right!"

"So…" Kagome speculated once more, waiting for her friend to pick up. She didn't disappoint her.

"Well, it probably isn't a natural death," Sango pondered audibly, resting her elbow against the door, and placing her chin in her hand. "Or else he wouldn't be bound to this earth."

"It could be natural. I mean, maybe he just needed to stay because of a promise he made. Something he couldn't let go of: unfinished business."

"Oh, I know what you're saying," Sango said, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "He had to stay on this earth to fulfill the promise."

"Yeah," Kagome confirmed, a smile tilting her lips upward.

"I don't think that's it, though," Sango said, continuing as if Kagome had never spoken. Kagome turned her gaze from the road, fixing her friend with a quizzical stare. They didn't have much to go by, so she was surprised that she was able to find any conclusive evidence to support her claims.

"Really? Why not?"

"It's just a guess," Sango smiled, throwing her friend's words back at her. Kagome grinned in return.

"Of course."

After a few more minutes of probing questions and Shikon scenery, the blue car pulled off the pavement and onto a dusty dirt road. It jarred the vehicle slightly, piquing Sango's curiosity as the house came into view.

Despite her contemplations, there wasn't anything exceedingly remarkable about the house. It was painted a cream, off-white color on the uppermost half, and the bottom half was made with large, flat stones set in mortar. The roof was set-off from the rest of the house—the vermilion shingles obviously a newer addition. Two large windows, like eyes, faced towards the driveway; the door—like a gaping mouth—sat at their midpoint. The grass surrounding the building was a pale, sickly green, but not quite brown. It looked dreary, uncared for, but it wasn't stereotypically spooky.

As Kagome stilled the car, Sango gazed on the house in wonder. She felt expectancy creeping along the base of her neck, making her breath speed up.

She froze. Her blood began pumping faster in horror.

"Kagome, the curtain just moved," she said, adrenaline coloring her voice. As she was taking in the house, the sleek red curtain from inside the room shifted, as if someone had brushed by it. Sango was nonplussed by Kagome's lack of surprise.

"Of course it did," she said blandly, pointing out the driver-side window. Sango followed her thumb. Kagome had parked next to another car. "Sesshoumaru didn't happen to mention if we'd be having any company or not, did he?" Sango shook her head in a negative.

"No…"

"So whose car is that?"

Sango opened her car door. "I guess we'll be finding out soon." The twin slams of the doors weren't quite in tandem, and if the owner of the second car didn't already know of their arrival, he or she most certainly did now. The girls walked to the front door, not at all surprised to find it unlocked. Forgoing knocking, they slipped past the threshold.

"Hello?" Kagome called out. The foyer had old, hardwood floors, and there were two exits from where the girls stood. From one exit, they could see the kitchen, with its ugly taupe linoleum floor, and sickly yellow paint.

However, a woman blocked the other exit. She had long, black hair, tied back loosely. Her cold, dark eyes were regarding the two girls with contempt.

"This is private property." Her voice was low, almost hollow. "I'm going to have to ask you two to leave."

"We have permission to be here," Kagome said pointedly, "And you are…?"

"You have permission? From who?"

"The owner of this house," Sango chimed in, "and if you don't tell us who you are, we're going to assume you're an intruder and call the police."

The woman's eyes flickered back and forth between Sango and Kagome, as if considering what they said. She seemed to come to a decision, and smiled insincerely.

"I keep the place clean for Sesshoumaru. No one else can bear to be in this place for more than five minutes," she told them, leaving her post in the doorway to brush by Sango and Kagome and out the door.

"We didn't catch your name!" Kagome shouted. Sango looked down, and noticed Kagome's hands were clenched into impossibly tight fists, and her arms were shaking with barely suppressed rage.

"Kikyou," the woman replied coolly. "Though I don't know why it's any of your concern." She slid into her car seat, turning on the ignition before closing her door.

"Yeah? Then, you can _go to hell_!" Kagome cried out as Kikyou sped off down the driveway, tires squealing as she peeled through the curves.

Sango placed a calming hand on Kagome's arm, watching as her friend's shoulders heaved with furiously panting breaths.

"You knew it was her, didn't you?"

Letting out a puff of air, she said, "I had my suspicions. What do you think she was doing here?"

Sango sighed loudly. "Not cleaning, that's for sure."

Kagome was quiet for a moment, and then, "I don't care how out-of-touch Inuyasha and his brother are, I don't think Sesshoumaru would give permission for Inuyasha's conniving ex-fiancée to check this place out."

"I agree."

"We could call Aunt Kaede and ask her about it," Kagome suggested, folding her arms loosely across her chest. Sango couldn't help but reflect on how violently Kagome had reacted to Kikyou. She wasn't sure if it was their resemblance in appearance, or Inuyasha's plight as the jilted groom. Although the former was surely disturbing, Sango had a feeling Kagome's animosity stemmed from her unusual fascination with Inuyasha.

With one last lingering look down the road, Sango shook her head. "Nah. Let's check this place out."

Brightening at the prospect of their new adventure, Kagome followed Sango's lead through the house.

The whole place had a very simple layout. From the foyer, there were two exits. One led to a kitchen and small dining room. The other opened to a sitting room. The kitchen was relatively barren. There was no refrigerator: only an ancient-looking stove and what might have been a microwave. The faucet and sink looked like they had been updated recently, and the shiny silver varnish stood out against the lackluster paint.

The dining room was small and open, and was connected to a sitting room. The sitting room contained a loveseat and an armchair, both in a dirty beige color that matched the tile in the kitchen. The other exit from the foyer led to this same room. However, there were two closed doors in the room that warranted further investigation.

One, a brightly painted white door, opened to a small bathroom.

But the other door was wooden, and when Sango tested her knuckles against it she found it was very solid and sturdy. It looked old, and it obviously was made to withstand anything. Looking at the door, she felt a tingling of anticipation creep up her spine, and she held back a shiver.

"Where do you think it leads?" Kagome wondered rhetorically.

Filled to the brim with eagerness, she said, "Let's find out."

Reaching for the rusty doorknob, Sango was surprised when her hand encountered metal that was flaming hot to the touch. She let out a frightened shriek and let go of the doorknob, feeling her nerves protest angrily at the unbearable heat.

Sango ground her teeth together and clutched at her throbbing hand. "_Goddamnit!_"

Shocked at Sango's outburst, Kagome cried, "What is it? What happened?"

Her breath hissed through her clenched teeth. "The doorknob. It burned me." Taking a deep breath, Sango nudged Kagome towards the kitchen. "I'd better run my hand under the faucet."

Still perturbed, Kagome asked, "How was the doorknob hot? There isn't a fire on the other side, is there?"

"I don't think so," Sango sighed as the water ran over her aching hand. "We would see smoke or hear the flames if the fire was strong enough to heat the doorknob so much. Besides, the door itself wasn't hot. Only the knob."

"That's strange. I'm going to go check it out."

"Be careful," Sango advised.

Kagome walked through the sitting room, studying the massive wooden door. Her hands hovered over the wood for a moment; feeling nothing, she placed her palm against the wood, feeling it cool against her skin. She looked at the doorknob with a baffled expression on her face.

She took her hand off the wood and placed it in the air just above the doorknob, unable to feel any heat from the metal. The lack of heat waves provided her with no assurance, and she was still leery of touching it.

The rushing of running water stopped, and Sango walked into the room, a thin dishtowel wrapped around her hand.

"Did you touch it?" Sango asked upon seeing Kagome's hand.

"No. And I can't feel any heat coming off of it."

Sango smiled. "I bet the ghost did it. He doesn't want us going down there."

Kagome pulled her hand away from the knob and looked at the door thoughtfully. "You think?"

"Yeah. Let's check it out."

Kagome shook her head. "Huh uh. I have a better idea."

"Really?" Her friend looked at her dubiously.

"Yep. I say we head back to Aunt Kaede's house." She spoke loudly over Sango's rising protests. "Listen, Sango. I say we head back to Kaede's, grab our duffel bags, and spend the night here."

Sango grinned, immediately seizing the suggestion. "We could finish exploring the house, and then spend all night staking this place out."

"For _ghost_ activity," Kagome said, accentuating the word 'ghost.' She laughed and turned away from the door, heading for the foyer. "C'mon." Sango didn't follow.

"Actually," Sango drawled, "I have an even better idea. How about _you_ go grab our stuff while _I_ finish exploring the house?"

"Sango," Kagome whined, pouting at her friend imploringly.

"Please," Sango implored right back, holding up her injured hand for sympathy.

"Oh, all _right_," Kagome sighed, pointing a finger at Sango. "But if you see or hear or feel anything ghost-like, you'll give me all the details."

"Sure thing."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Full of anticipation, Sango barely registered the front door closing as Kagome left.

Her hand was still throbbing, but it had dulled considerably compared to the initial pain. She pushed the ache out of her mind and turned away from the door, deciding to save the enigmatic hot-and-cold door for when Kagome returned.

Walking to the middle of the living room, she discovered something they had overlooked before. Tucked into a niche in the corner of the room was a set of stairs leading to a second floor. Sango walked over to the recess and gazed up at the wooden stairs. She didn't like the eerie quiet that had settled over the house, and she had to mentally shake off her discomfort.

Her sneakers scarcely made a sound against the wood as she ascended, but the stair steps beneath her creaked and groaned as she placed her weight on them.

'There isn't a handrail,' Sango noted to herself, and placed her uninjured hand on the wall beside her. The stairs were enclosed, which explained how the girls had overlooked them earlier.

At the top of the stairs, a hallway branched off into three different rooms: two on the right side, and one on the left. The two doors on the right contained somber-looking bedrooms. Both were painted a dreary blue-gray color, and both had windows scummy from a thick layer of dust.

The door on the left side of the hallway held a bathroom much larger than the one on the first floor. There was a porcelain claw-footed bathtub and matching porcelain sink, each with beautiful gold hardware. However, the bathroom's luxury was hidden beneath mountains of dust and mildew.

Sango sighed, disappointed that she had come up empty-handed. The second floor was unlivable in its current state, so if they wanted to sleep in the bedrooms they would have a ton of work ahead of them.

She unwrapped the towel from around her hand, wincing at how raw and red her palm and fingers looked. It was worse across the inside of her fingers, where she had grabbed the doorknob. She used the towel to wipe off the mirror above the sink, stirring up dust as she did so. She closed her eyes and sneezed three times in rapid succession. She opened her eyes and gasped.

A shadowy silhouette darted behind her reflection.

She spun around, and saw a flicker off towards one side of the bathroom doorway. Unwilling to give up easily, Sango dropped the dirty towel and chased the specter into the hallway. Thinking she saw it head towards the stairs, she ran after it, stopping at the top and looking down.

The stairway looked dark and ominous, but perfectly normal. Whatever it was had disappeared.

Frustrated, she called out, "Hey! Come back!"

She waited silently; it felt as though the whole house was holding its breath.

'Did I scare him?' Sango wondered. 'Or surprise him?'

A minute passed, then two. Giving up, Sango was about to head back to get the towel from the bathroom.

When she first felt something brush against her ass, she convinced herself it was her imagination. But when it happened again, the second time with a firmer, more purposeful stroke, she spun around quickly.

She had just enough time to see the empty hallway before she lost her footing and stumbled, taking a step backward to regain her balance. The heel of her foot met with empty air and, having overstepped, she felt herself falling backwards.

"Ahh!" Sango cried out, feeling the blood drain from her face even as her heart jumped in her chest.

Both of her hands slapped uselessly against the walls in a futile attempt to catch herself. She squeezed her eyelids shut and tensed her muscles in preparation for the rough tumble. But her body jerked halfway through her fall, and then froze.

Sango's russet eyes flew open in surprise, staring at the ceiling in shock. She was floating on her back, hovering horizontally above the stairs.

"Oh my God," she breathed, afraid to move. She was filled with wonderment and fear: wonder at the way her body was suspended in mid-air, and fear of what would happen if she were released. She felt herself trembling.

"Don't let me fall," she whispered, repeating it as a mantra. "Don't let me fall. Don't let me fall. Don't let me fall…"

She felt something slide across the back of her knees, and something else slide across her back, but she saw nothing. Of its own accord, her body folded in, no longer lying straight. Her knees and waist bent, almost as if she were being carried.

"Don't let me fall. Don't let me fall."

Still curled up, she began moving towards the nearest bedroom, being carried by some invisible phantom. Even though she was away from the immediate danger of the stairs, she found herself still scared. The rush of fear and adrenaline from her near-fall was making her body shake.

"Don't let me fall."

She wondered if she was in shock.

"Don't let me fall."

She felt a breath stir her hair. A strange male voice said, "I won't."

Blinking, she turned her head, but the entity that was holding her remained invisible. She was placed gently on the ground. Her knees felt weak and her muscles felt like Jell-O. No longer feeling the ghost, she reached her hand out, meeting nothing but air. In the air her hand had passed through, an image began to appear.

At first, the image was too transparent to decipher, but it began to get brighter. The lines around it became bolder, until the drape of robes, the curl of hands, and the sweep of hair was visible.

The apparition was giving her a small smile. The other side of the room was visible through his navy and violet robes, but his eyes were bright and warm against his pale face. He reached a hand out, and the bangs against Sango's forehead stirred gently. Her knees gave way, and she landed with a plop against the bed, staring in awe at the man before her. Her heavy landing on the bed stirred up a cloud of dust, and she closed her eyes and she sneezed harshly.

When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

A/N: Replying to reviewers. Hope everyone's still here!

rendezvous- I'm glad you like the InuKag stuff. I have a plan for them later on, to make up for not having them in this chapter. Maybe not the next chapter, but the one after that.

Kagome44- It's cool that your friend relates to Sango (in all ways except the sad ones). I'm glad you like the story, and I hope you keep reading.

drow goddess- So much for update soon. But, since all my summer activities are over, I'll be able to update soon once more. Thank you for reviewing!

rain- I'm glad you like it. Thank you for reviewing.

Vampire-Elf- I guess this chapter answered your question. Yes, Miroku is the ghost. I have some interesting stuff involving priestesses and curses and other such things. Thanks for taking the time to review.

Silver Magiccraft- =( So much for updating very soon. Thank you for reviewing, and I'm glad you like it!

Kalira of the flames- Thank you! I was embarrassed for Inuyasha, too…and I'm the one who wrote it, hehe!

Trinity Kirara- I'm sorry for killing Houshi-sama! hands Trinity a cookie Don't hate me!

Callisto Nicol- Thanks so much! I am so sorry for not updating sooner! I'm busy and lazy, which is a very dangerous combination. I haven't had time to check out any of your stories, either…so that's what I'm gonna do once I update this story.

sammi- Thanks for the review! I finally introduced Miroku!

bfcat- Don't feel dumb! I wanted to build the suspense. There's gonna be even more mystery later on, so you'll have more time to brush up on your detective skills!! Thanks a bunch for reviewing!

Any one of these reviews still here gets a BIIIIIG hug and kiss.


	5. Blood Runs Cold

Disclaimer: I don't own them. If I did, the world would hate me because I'd take forever to dish out the next chapter.

_I heard this line one time_  
_'Bout trying to save the world.  
__But have you ever tried  
__To save yourself?  
__Def Leppard "Blood Runs Cold"_

Sango tucked her bare feet under her body, hugging a pillow to her chest loosely. She was curled up in the corner of the beige loveseat, downstairs in the sitting room.

After overcoming her initial shock at the ghost's rapid appearance and subsequent disappearance, Sango had tried calling out to him, attempting to convince him to reappear. Her shouts went unheard or ignored, echoing dully off the empty walls in vacant rooms. She had not felt frightened by the spirit; maybe a little violated, but not frightened in the least. She continued searching upstairs until she heard the front door open, signaling Kagome's return. All she'd discovered was more dust bunnies.

Kagome had been shocked by Sango's dazed appearance, and realized immediately that something had happened in her absence. The girls had moved into the living room, where Sango recounted every last detail of her paranormal encounter.

She now worried the edge of the pillow with her fingernails, looking to Kagome for a response. Kagome's reaction was to take a deep breath, organizing her thoughts before responding.

"And he was gone? Just like that?"

Sango sighed wistfully. "Just like that."

Kagome frowned in thoughtful silence for a moment, finally shaking her head in disbelief. "Sango, that whole ordeal…it just doesn't make any sense." Sango tensed, reacting defensively.

"Are you implying that I imagined this whole event?" she asked incredulously, dropping the pillow and squeezing her hands into fists. "Because I can assure you, I did _not_ just dream this whole thing up!"

"That's not what I'm implying at all." Kagome's voice took on a dry tone "I just think we should look at this logically before we call in Mulder and Scully—"

"Look, Kagome, I know what happened; I know what I saw! I didn't make up this levitation, and I didn't imagine that ghost," Sango stated defiantly.

"Of course not," Kagome agreed, touching her friend's shoulder. "I'm not doubting what happened to you. I'm just questioning the ghost's motives. Nothing seems to make sense."

Calmed for the moment, Sango asked with curiosity, "What do you mean?"

"Well, for instance, why would the ghost burn you, grope you, and then save you. In that order, I might add." Kagome gave her an expectant look. "All of those seem so contradictory towards one another."

Sango blushed. "Well, the whole groping thing could have been accidental."

"That's not what you told me earlier." Kagome grinned.

The pink-cheeked girl shook her head. "That's beside the point." She paused. "Uh…what were we talking about, again?"

Kagome laughed out loud, taking the pillow from her friend and whacking the other girl over the head with it. The stuffing made a soft _thump_ as it connected with her skull.

"Hey!" Sango protested, batting the pillow away and kicking her friend, who was seated beside her on the couch.

"Stop that!" Kagome kicked back, giggling.

Before an all-out, barroom brawl could break out, Sango said, "Wait, wait! We've gone off-topic."

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious."

Sango smacked her friend with the pillow a final time, before continuing. "I think we need to find out more about the ghost first."

Kagome's smile waned, before disappearing altogether. "And we need to find out what the heck Kikyou was doing here." This statement jolted Sango's memory.

"That's right! I noticed something odd while I was exploring upstairs," Sango recalled. "I noticed that it was extremely dusty. There was mold in the bathroom, too."

"Ew."

"If Kikyou was keeping this place up for Sesshoumaru, she did a real piss-poor job on the second floor."

Kagome giggled. "Piss-poor?"

"My dad used to say it," she explained with a shrug, falling silent. A melancholy look passed over her eyes, as memories bubbled to the surface of her consciousness, surfacing with a painful _pop_. Bouts of sadness crept upon her at the oddest moments, catching her off-guard and continuously throwing her for a loop. She hated how small, insignificant events could make hot tears sneak behind her eyes. She could have long conversations about death without flinching, but little things obliterated her equilibrium.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Kagome asked gently.

Sango swallowed.

"No," she said flatly.

"I think it would help—"

"Would you just drop it!" Sango snapped, turning her head away, but not missing the wounded look that graced her friend's expression. She immediately felt guilty, and struggled against the lump in her throat to find words that would make Kagome understand.

It was quiet for a long moment. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees, and Sango hugged her arms around her abdomen. She finally spoke.

"My dad," she began, looking at the floor. She felt Kagome's head turn to look at her. "He, uh…remember how he used to talk? He didn't like cursing in front of us…so he would try and catch himself. It was always funny when he'd accidentally let one slip…" Her voice cracked on the last word.

Kagome took over the story. "He would look so guilty. Like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar or something."

Sango finally looked up. Her eyes were bright, but dry. She laughed. "Yeah. And he would apologize to us. Even when we were older and exposed to far worse language from jerks at school."

The girls smiled at one another for several seconds, happy that they had smoothed things over. Both girls, Sango especially, had a penchant for secrecy and independence. They didn't like showing things close to the heart, things that would give them pain to reveal. Kagome, however, had a habit of prying things out of people; things they might not want to share. They often butted heads over certain situations, but feuds between them were short-lived.

But Sango didn't really feel better after confessing to Kagome. She felt as though she'd only shared her story to placate the other girl, rather than to heal her own wounds. She shrugged off her dark frame of mind as best she could.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," Sango admitted with a rueful smile.

Kagome winked. "What are friends for?"

"So…what's the plan for tonight?" Sango switched gears, swiping at her dry cheeks pointlessly.

Kagome's countenance visibly changed with her darkening mood. "I think we should find out what Kikyou was doing over here. That might explain some things."

Sango watched her friend silently for a beat, coming to an internal conclusion. She said, "We should probably save that for tomorrow. I mean, interrogation would require that we return to town. Again." Sango chose her next words carefully. "We should probably ask Inuyasha about her…"

"What?" Kagome screeched. "Sango, are you nuts? You saw the way he reacted before! I doubt he'd tell us anything. And it's not like they're together now, or anything. Why should he know about what she's been up to?"

"Kagome," Sango said, her tone calming, "it's the logical thing to do." She chewed on her tongue for a moment, pensive. "I think you're reacting this way because you identify with Inuyasha. You feel empathetic towards his experience. I think you just…don't want to hurt him."

"Well, Sango, we can add pop-psychology to your repertoire of achievements," Kagome said bitingly, but her cheeks flamed up and she refused to meet Sango's eyes.

Sango wisely kept quiet, letting the incident slide. "Well, in any case, we can figure out Kikyou's motives tomorrow. Today—" she looked at the rapidly darkening skies through the windows in the foyer. "—er…tonight, we should concentrate on that door." She pointed to the huge wooden door responsible for the tender, raw skin on the palm of her hand.

"Good idea."

"Although it still doesn't explain why I encountered the ghost _upstairs_…"

"Sango!" Kagome admonished. "We can work all that out later. We still have some investigating to do. Besides, we were downstairs when we were first exposed to paranormal phenomenon."

"Lead on, Macduff." Sango made a sweeping arc with her arms, motioning for her friend to go on ahead.

Kagome rolled her eyes and muttered something about misquoted Shakespeare.

..:X:..

"Just do it!"

"But what if it burns through?"

"Stop being a baby, Kagome!"

"I'm not being a baby. I'm just being practical!"

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," Sango declared, ripping the thick towel from around Kagome's hand. She began spinning it around her palm and fingers.

"Hey! I would've tried eventually," Kagome protested, crossing her arms in front of her chest and glaring at her impatient friend.

"Yeah, but we'd be old and gray by the time your 'eventually' came!" She finished wrapping her hand, and then turned towards the "cursed" door. Facing Sango's back, Kagome stuck her tongue out with childish petulance.

Refusing to hesitate and face the mocking of her best friend, Sango reached out with a steady, albeit towel-laden, hand and grabbed the doorknob as best she could.

There was no burning through the towel, no sizzling of cooked flesh, no sickly sweet smoke. The girls let out a simultaneous sigh of relief, and Kagome let out a nervous laugh. Sango bit on her tongue to keep from shuddering. She ignored the goose bumps popping up along her arms, instead concentrating at the task at hand. She chalked up the sudden chill to excited apprehension.

She turned the knob without any resistance.

"It's not locked," Sango breathed, amazed. She leaned into the door, holding the air in her chest tightly.

It didn't budge.

"C'mon Sango. Stop keeping me in suspense," Kagome teased, but her voice wavered slightly with anticipation.

"I…can't," Sango huffed out while she began pushing her whole weight into the door, her feet sliding on the floor with the strength of her exertions. "It's…stuck."

"Have you tried pulling?" Kagome's expression was deadpan.

Sango thought it was unlikely that such a large door in such a small space would open towards the room, but she gave it her best shot. She leaned back with her entire body and even tried gaining leverage by pushing her feet against the wall. Still, it would not budge.

"If you have any more bright ideas, I'd love to hear them." Sango released the doorknob. The towel hung limply in her grasp. She didn't want to complain, but her injured hand was throbbing unbearably. The raw skin was stretched tight, and it felt like it was on fire.

"Maybe there's something behind the door, blocking it," Kagome suggested, resting a tentative hand against the wood. She raised a fist and knocked with intrepid gumption.

"What're you doing?"

"Shhhh. Listen."

She knocked once more, and the hollow sound echoed throughout the otherwise silent house.

"Did you hear that echo?" Kagome inquired. "There's nothing behind that door but air. My guess is that…"

Kagome continued talking, but her friend was too preoccupied. Sango's body felt as though it had been submerged in a chilly ice bath, until only the agonizing heat in her hand remained. Her breathing was labored, and she ignored the panicky palpitations of her heart. A soothing, watery feeling spread along her injured skin, cooling the angry nerves. She dimly realized Kagome was grabbing her arms and shaking her. Kagome's hands felt shockingly warm against her frozen flesh.

"Sango! Sango, what's going on? What's happening?"

She began to feel warmth seeping into her weary bones. She lifted her hand and gazed at the cool, pale flesh as she opened and closed her fingers.

"The ghost healed me."

"Sang—what? Why?" Kagome sounded shaken-up.

She lifted her shoulders. "I don't know."

Suddenly the chilliness was back, and this time it pressed ominously against them from all sides, pushing against their lungs like a great weight and suffocating them. There was a terrible scratching noise, and then a wailing screech. When they looked up, the girls saw a message had been carved into the great wooden door:

_'Next time I won't be so forgiving.'_

A/N: Ominous.

Please review. It helps me out.


	6. Extraordinary Girl

Disclaimer: I don't own them, don't make money off 'em.

_She's an extraordinary girl_

_In an ordinary world_

_And she can't seem to get away._

_Green Day "Extraordinary Girl"_

"Aunt Kaede did say there were rumors about Kikyou and Naraku. And Naraku's family did used to own this house. Maybe that's why she was here," Kagome conjectured, laying on her back on the love seat with her legs flung over the arm.

After their initial panicked screaming, the girls had gone back to their deductive investigation. Sango was tracing the harsh lettering on the door with her finger, utterly perplexed. The skin of her hand was smooth, pale, unblemished.

"Who cares about Kikyou?" Sango finally spoke up, breaking away from the phenomenon to address her friend. "This ghost…" Her voice trailed off; russet eyes appeared vacant.

"What about him?" prompted Kagome.

She sighed and shoved a hand harshly through her hair, jerking roughly away from the phantom etchings. "It just doesn't follow any logical process. Like…eh…"

"Spit it out."

"I mean, he hurt me then healed me. Why?"

"He felt guilty?" Kagome tried. Her legs kicked languidly from her reclined position.

"Maybe."

Almost against her will, Sango's thoughts began to stray, and an indiscriminate memory surfaced.

_A young Sango rushed through the house, barefeet slapping against the hardwood floor. Her high-pitched giggles reverberated through the empty halls, bouncing and floating out the open door towards the sky._

_"Sango!" Kohaku belted out her name, rushing close behind, pumping his little legs hard to catch up to his lankier sister. "Don't! Give it back!"_

_The girl rounded the corner, feet sliding treacherously against the red and gold rug. Clutched tight in her fist was a small book. A diary. _

_"Don't give it back? Okay! Wasn't planning on it!" she turned her head to taunt over her shoulder. _

_Her pause to gloat was all the advantage Kohaku needed, and with a sudden burst of energy he lunged forward, eyes fixed firmly on his journal, hands seizing with sharp precision. The sudden jar made Sango's arm pull tight against her shoulder socket, and she felt whip-lashed. The area rug finally betrayed her fully, and her feet slid out from under her; her back made a deep thud as she landed flat on it._

_The breath was rushed from her lungs._

_ Grasping his newly-returned book against his chest, the boy gazed at his still sister. "Sango?"_

_Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound emerged. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe!_

_"Sango, that's not funny," Kohaku's large eyes were glossy with tears. "Sango, stop it! I'm sorry!" Journal forgotten, he knelt beside her, shaking her shoulder with his hands. _

_"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"_

In his panicked state, Kohaku had accidentally hurt Sango. She had been fine, of course—just had the wind knocked out of her. But it was his fear, his eagerness to keep a secret that led to his carelessness with Sango's wellbeing.

Kagome was studying Sango closely, aware of her friend's vacant expression.

"I think he's hiding something." Sango spoke after a steady silence. "Something he doesn't want anyone to find."

Her thoughts flew to the young man garbed in his dark robes, her head filled with images of his bright eyes, half-smile—the way his very presence exuded such pain, such loss. Had he really touched her forehead? Did she feel the contact of his hand? He had certainly somehow carried her, but did he feel her?

"I wonder what he's hiding," Kagome mused, and Sango felt her face heat in a blush, worried her friend might be able to read her thoughts.

"S-so you agree with me?" Sango cleared her throat and shoved a hand through her hair.

"Sure!" she said, kicking off the couch. "Besides, I know how much you love mysteries. We need to figure out what it is he's hiding."

Sango turned her back on the mysterious door, stretching her arms above her head to give her thoughts time to organize. "As eager as I am to learn what's behind this door, maybe it would be safer if we searched around upstairs more. I didn't have time to look around much before I…" she trailed off, lost for words.

"Had a close encounter of the ghostly kind?" Kagome supplied with a cheerful air.

"Something like that. Anyway, maybe there are some old documents or something to look through."

Sango didn't mention how doubtful she was about the possibility of finding such treasures. In reality, the young woman needed time to try to understand her mysterious visitor. She couldn't get his face out of her mind—the longing dark eyes that, though kind, held such a fathomless pain. What must have transpired in this shrine, in a Shikon of long ago, for this soul to be tethered to this Earthly plane?

..:X:..

_She is not afraid of me. I don't understand._

_I must keep her away, and yet I cannot hurt her. _

_It is as though she seeks me. _

_Why does she seek me?_

_I have toiled for so long, all alone. I am so tired. But she gives me strength._

_Maybe she can help me. _

_Maybe she's the one who can save me._

..:X:..

Sango stood staring at the first upstairs bedroom in utter bewilderment.

"I don't understand. This wasn't here before, I swear to you!"

Kagome was leaning against the bed, gently turning a small, aged book in her hands. "It was sitting right here on the bed."

"I walked into both of these rooms…the ghost took me in this room! I _sat _on that bed! I would've seen it!"

Kagome chewed on her lip. She looked at Sango, eyebrows knitted, and said, "There are too many strange things happening for them all to be supernatural. If such things happened all the time, there would be media here, ghost hunters."

"What're you saying, Kagome? You think we're being set up?" Sango didn't like the direction this was going.

"Look, Kikyou knows we're here, and _we _know she is up to something, either on her own, or acting for Naraku."

Sango kept silent, clenching and unclenching her hands rhythmically, deep in thought. She couldn't tell Kagome her suspicions—she could hardly believe them herself.

Somehow, Sango felt that the book was for her. The ghost was appearing for her. The ghost needed her. She felt a deeply-rooted tug towards the house, as though she were connected to it somehow. She couldn't leave, and yet she didn't know why exactly she had to stay; but it was imperative that she did.

Kagome continued, unperturbed by Sango's silence, "I think some of the phenomena here must have been planned by Kikyou. I want to know why she was here."

"Maybe she was looking for something," Sango finally piped up, swallowing with a sandpaper throat, uneasy with her musings.

"Probably what's behind that blocked door," Kagome agreed, scratching idly at the binding of the book.

Sango's knees suddenly felt very weak, and she wobbled on uncertain legs to the bed, collapsing. When she was securely seated, she said, "Let's take a look at that book. Set-up or not, reading it couldn't hurt us."

Kagome flipped open the cover of the book to a blank page. Frowning, she tilted the book and used her thumb to flip quickly through the entire thing.

"I don't understand. The whole thing's blank," she said.

"If Kikyou were behind this, why would she leave a blank book?" Sango wondered quietly.

"I don't care what you say. I don't trust her, and I don't feel safe here," Kagome shuddered, and for the first time, Sango noticed how uneasy the girl looked. Her eyes scanned the room.

She put her hand on Kagome's back, "Why don't you go back to your aunt's tonight. I don't mind staying here by myself."

"I couldn't let you do that!"

"I'm not scared. I promise!" Sango lied, forcing a crooked smile to her face.

"I don't feel like it's safe here," Kagome ventured.

"Oh c'mon. Like you pointed out, if Kikyou is involved, she's just trying to scare us, not hurt us. Besides, if you go back, you can talk to Kaede and Inuyasha in the morning to try to figure out what his ex-fiance was doing here."

Kagome frowned, "Oh, I doubt Inuyasha will be helpful at all. But you're right; he might have some ideas, if I can drag them out of him…"

"Great!" Sango said, feeling somehow relieved. Her lips spread into a genuine smile. "Then it's settled!"

Sango couldn't explain it, but she needed to stay. Her tone grew serious, "Kagome, this is the thing I've been looking for all my life…this window to the afterlife. I'm not afraid."

Kagome looked sad. "I know…" She added, silently, 'But I'm afraid for you…for your state of mind.'

Regardless of her thoughts, Kagome allowed Sango to lead her down the stairs and to the foyer.

"I'll come get you tomorrow afternoon," Kagome promised, "after I've spoken to Kaede and Inuyasha. You call if you need anything at all, okay?"

"Okay," Sango said, teeth clenched tight together to keep from mentioning that there wasn't a phone in the rundown house. "I'll be fine!"

Sango pressed her back against the front door as she listened to Kagome's car start up and pull away. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, but not from fear. She looked down at the book she clutched tightly, the strange, empty book they had found in one of the upstairs bedrooms. An unearthly pull raised her hand, opening the book to the first page.

Fresh black ink spelled out her name.

"Sango," she read, "Help me."

A/N: I know exactly where this story is going. It's just a matter of getting there…I hope you're enjoying the ride so far!


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